This invention relates to brake control systems for vehicles, and, while the invention is subject to a wide range of applications, a preferred embodiment of the invention will be particularly described as applied to a braking system having its braking pressure regulated by a digital pressure regulator.
The present invention can be particularly useful in fluid braking systems, for example, such as in the system disclosed in the U.S. application of Ronald O. Newton, et al Ser. No. 216,976, filed Dec. 16, 1980, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 4,402,047, granted Aug. 30, 1983 assigned to the same assignee as the present invention. This application discloses a computerized brake control system having a microprocessor brake controller for delivering digital commands to selectively actuate application and release solenoids respectively for governing application of fluid pressure to a braking cylinder. The microprocessor senses the brake cylinder pressure, and thereby determines when to lap the solenoids. This involves the use of costly solenoids, a pressure transducer, and feedback circuits to the microprocessor.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved brake control system which substantially obviates one or more of the limitations and disadvantages of the described prior art systems.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a less costly pressure regulated brake control system.
Other objects, purposes and characteristic features of the present invention will be in part obvious from the accompanying drawings, and in part pointed out as the description of the invention progresses.